There are houses on the lake, and then there are places like this, where a family’s laughter, stories, and legacy live on. For generations, this three-bedroom, one-bath cottage, built in 1929 with exterior renovations in 2016, has been more than a home; it’s been a sanctuary and a storyteller. From mornings with coffee on the dock to evenings by the firepit with s’mores and fireflies, every corner hums with memory. It’s where children first learned to swim, grandkids giggled climbing bedroom walls, and every fish caught, and every tale told about it, was cherished. The lake itself has been a constant companion, its storms rushing the shoreline, its calm surface reflecting shooting stars. Set on 1.66 acres with partially wooded land and Borodino Brook along the northern edge, the property offers retreat and connection. A front porch invites conversation, while a back porch overlooks trees and sky. In the yard, a giant bell has rung for generations, calling family and guests to dinner. At the shoreline, 60 feet of pristine Skaneateles Lake frontage and a new seasonal dock provide front-row seats to one of the purest lakes in the country.
Traditions here run deep: ringing the bell to signal the Judge Ben Wiles Dinner Cruise, pancake breakfasts in Borodino, and the mailboat delivering packages and smiles to the end of the dock. Days unfold in rhythm with nature, deer stepping into the ravine, eagles soaring overhead, water tumbling over rocks. The family says the lake heals everything, and after one quiet morning or golden evening by the water, you begin to believe it. What this family treasures most is not only the beauty of the camp but the lifestyle it offers. It’s where chaos finds its calm, where the world stops spinning, but you feel most alive, and where healing comes naturally. Now, for the first time in decades, this legacy is ready to be shared with someone new, a rare chance to begin your own story on Skaneateles Lake.
